Improvement in bayonet-scabbards



" EDMUND "RICE; f

Improvement in Bayonet-Scabbards.

NOVIIZY-QI-OZL r Patented May 21,1872.

EDMUND RICE, OF CAMBRIDGE,

UNITED STATEs MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND SOHUYLER, HARTLEY & GRAHAM, OF NEW YORK CITY.

IMPROVEMENT IN BAYONET-SCABBARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 127,104, dated May 21, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

- To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, EDMUND RICE, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Metallic Trowel-Bayonet Scabbard, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawmg.

My invention relates to a metal scabbard for trowel or spade-bayonets; and consists in a novel manner of constructing the same and of attaching it to the body-straps of the soldier.

Figure l is a perspective view of my scabbard in position on the belts looking from the inner or back side; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the scabbard detached.

The body A of my scabbard I make of a size and form adapted for the bayonet which it is to receive, of two plates or sheets ofmetal, a and b, united at their edges, as shown. The inside or back plate a is left flat, or nearly so, to conform to the face of the bayonet, while the front plate I) has its edges curled or turned backward to unite with those of the back plate, and also has a longitudinal groove or recess formed in its middle to receive the rib of the bayonet. The edges of the front and back plates may be brazed, soldered, riveted, or seamed together, or united in any other suitable manner, the union being so made as to leave a smooth finished surface, and form a joint which will not be opened by the violent usage to which the scabbard is liable. The upper edges of the scabbard I provide with round beads or lips '1 which give a finished appearance, prevent the edges from cuttin g the hands or clothes of the soldier, and also prevent the edges from being battered or bent by any blows which they may receive. On the back of the scabbard I secure, in line with each other, two

oblique loopsor bands, B, through which the waist-belt E is passed, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to support the scabbard in an inclined position. To each corner of the scabbard I attach an eye, d, and to each of said eyes attach a short chain, 0, and then secure the opposite ends of said chains to a slide or loop, D, which I mount on the cross or shoulder-belt F, as shown in Fig. 1. The slide andchains thus arranged, serve to prevent the scabbard from sliding out of position on the waist-belt, and to render it more ornamental in appearance. The scabbard may be made of any desired metal, and ornamented by plating, engraving, embossing, or otherwise.

The scabbard, constructed as described, is very cheap, light, strong, and ornamental, it will out-wear those made of leather, and will not like them become twisted and distorted, so as to prevent the ready insertion of the bayonet.

It is obvious that the scabbard need not necessarily be made of two plates, as described, but may be either formed of several plates or pieces, or of a single piece of metal formed into shape by dies, so as to have one seam only.

Having described my invention, what I claim, is-

The herein described metallic scabbard, having the loop B secured in an oblique position to the back thereof, with the slide D attached, as set forth.

EDMUND RICE.

lVitnesses:

J. W. POPE, T. H. LOGEN. 

